1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for making woven constructions, and in particular, to woven construction systems suitable for use by hobbyists or home craftsmen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art contains, of course, many examples of woven baskets and other articles. Examples of woven articles and of systems of weaving such articles are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 97,836, 693,911, 882,935, 1,178,924, 1,336,571, 1,475,151 and 1,701,312. It has been a difficulty with such methods of making woven articles that the articles are relatively difficult to manufacture, requiring a skilled craftsmen to fabricate the article. Of the above cited references U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,475,151 and 1,178,924 disclose systems in which a woven web is first manufactured, with the web then being formed into a finished article. It has been a difficulty with such systems that the finished article has unsightly seams or joints.
The prior art contains at least two examples of systems for positioning a set of vertical members which may then be interwoven by a horizontal member. U.S. Pat. Nos. 743,057 and 1,095,820, disclose such systems. It has been a difficulty with such systems, however, that only the bottom ends of the vertical members are positioned and that some sort of jig or fixture is required to position the upper end of the vertical members so that the shape of the finished article may be determined. As such, the methods of making woven articles shown in each of these patents also lends itself more readily to use by only a skilled or experienced craftsmen. Similarly in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,243,079, 1,243,080, 1,243,081, and 1,243,082 methods of making woven articles are disclosed in which vertical members are temporarily retained at their lower end by a suitable lower annulus, which is a jig to retain the bottom of the vertical members while they are woven. It is a problem with the system disclosed by these patents that a jig is still required upon which the weaving is done, and so this method is suitable only for use at a shop, factory or similar manufacturing establishment. As with all of the systems disclosed in the various patents above, it is unsuitable for use at home by an unskilled hobbyist or craftsman.